Each year, World Malaria Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the current status of the fight against malaria. We are in the middle year of the World Malaria Day theme of “Invest in the Future. Defeat Malaria," which is set to last until 2015. Funding for malaria control and prevention, as with all international public health endeavors, has always been perceived as a critical issue, but … [Read more...]
SMS for Life Uses Mobile Phones to Increase Access to Essential Antimalaria Medications
SMS for Life harnesses everyday technology to improve access to essential malaria medicines in rural areas of developing countries. It uses a combination of mobile phones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to track weekly stock levels at public health facilities in order to: Eliminate stock-outs Increase access to essential medicines Reduce the number of deaths from … [Read more...]
How Many Malaria Deaths in Africa?
QUESTION What is the estimated number of deaths in Africa caused by malaria each year? ANSWER The exact numbers of deaths caused by malaria every year is very difficult to measure accurately, due to difficulties in diagnosis and also failure to report cases. However, the Roll Back Malaria partnership, coordinated by a host of international organisations including the World Health … [Read more...]
The “E” word and the “V” word: Two Holy Grails of Malaria Control
The Roll Back Malaria Partnership talks confidently of elimination—many others question if this is possible without new interventions. The recent publication of the first Phase 3 clinical trial for a malaria vaccine shows promise, but is it actually good enough? REVIEW OF: Roll Back Malaria Partnership, “Eliminating Malaria: Learning from the Past, Looking Ahead”, Progress & … [Read more...]
Does malaria kill?
QUESTION Is malaria a killer disease? ANSWER Yes. Malaria causes somewhere between 700,000 to 1 million deaths worldwide, mostly in children under five, and mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. As such, it is actually one of the leading causes of death in young children in developing countries. Given this high mortality, many initiatives working to control malaria are dedicated to reducing … [Read more...]